Gift Baskets for Every Occasions

What’s not to love about a gift basket? They’re fun, filled with great things, and they almost always bring a smile to the recipient’s face. It's just so much fun to take them apart and see what's there!

If you're stumped for a last-minute gift, or have been invited for a holiday party or visit, put one of these together. It will be smash hit!

Make them also for birthdays, school fundraisers, for people who are recovering from an illness, are leaving on vacation, or who is expecting a baby. Gift baskets can cost as little or as much as you want, and each person’s can be individualized to their tastes and interests. And they’re easy!

Baskets come in all shapes and sizes, and you can find them quite inexpensively at craft stores, dollar stores, and discount department stores. But you don’t even have to use a basket! Be creative – any type of container will work. The key is to think about the person you’re giving the basket to, and then decide a theme. Here are some ideas:

Coffee Lover Basket: Use an oversized coffee mug and fill it with chocolate covered coffee beans, a small package of gourmet coffee (or two), and maybe some biscotti or another type of snack. You could also add a gift card from a local coffee joint.

Book Lovers Basket: Use a book bag and fill it with books written by a favorite author, a jazzy bookmark, and a book light.

Mommy-to-be Basket: Use a diaper bag and fill it with any number of baby and/or expecting mommy items.

Beach Bum Basket: Use a tote bag and fill it with a beach towel, suntan lotion, sun glasses, and a book from a favorite author.

Love to Cook Basket: Use a large mixing bowl and fill it with a whisk, small cookbook, wooden spoon, and an apron.

Off to College Basket: Use a backpack and fill it with snacks for the dorm room; cookies, crackers, candy, etc. You could also toss in a couple gift cards to restaurants and coffee shops.

Movie Night Basket: Use any type of container and fill it with a favorite DVD, a bag of microwave popcorn, a box of movie candy, and a beverage (bottle of soda, beer, wine, etc.).

The possibilities are endless, and when you think about the people in your life, you’ll love all the ideas that come your way. And gift baskets are something you can be filling all year, so save those sample and trial size bottles of the myriad items we all get every year. They come in handy! Most of all, have fun!

Tracy Leigh Ritts is a freelance writer based in Ohio. She’s the author of the book, How to Plan Your Own Wedding and Save Thousands…Without Going Crazy.

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